Tamil Nadu recorded lowest number of murders in 12 years in 2024: Stalin

Opposition leader lists murders; Stalin says govt acting without favour, reminds House of what happened in Thoothukudi police firing & Sathankulam cases

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Chennai

LEADER of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Thursday locked horns with Assembly Speaker M Appavu and Chief Minister MK Stalin over the alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

While Palaniswami staged a walkout along with AIADMK MLAs accusing the Speaker of refusing to give more time to complete his speech, Stalin accused the opposition party of running away from the House without having the courage to listen to his reply.

During the zero hour, Palaniswami sought to raise a law and order issue but the Speaker said the issue should be intimated to him at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the session. To this, Palaniswami said the rule would be applicable only to call attention motion, and opposition parties can raise issues of urgent importance during the zero hour.

After a few minutes of argument, the CM said he was ready to answer Palaniswami's questions.

Listing a slew of deaths, EPS said on Wednesday, the body of Malaiyarasan, a constable from Sivaganga, was found in a charred state near Perungudi in Madurai. A woman teacher's body was found in a similar condition at Madukkarai in Coimbatore. Also, a man was hacked by a gang while he was travelling in a car near Nasiyanur. A soothsayer was hacked to death at Madappuram in Thirubhuvanam in Sivaganga district. In Chennai, DMK trade union member Kumar was kidnapped and murdered.

"These crimes took place at a time when the CM was telling the House that no one could escape from the law. Just like a daily status report, a murder report is being given every day. This is the achievement of the DMK government. The law and order situation was never this bad in the state," Palaniswami alleged and made certain remarks which were expunged by the Speaker.